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Sensation
the detection of physical energy and conversion to neural signals
Perception
the interpretation of sensory info
Bottom Up Processing
the brain receiving signals from sensory organs ( sensation)
Top-Down Processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes ( Perception)
Transduction
converting one form of energy into another that our brain can use
Psychophysics
a field of study that studies the relationships between the physical energy we can detect, and its effect on our psychological.
Absolute threshold
the smallest quantity of physical energy that can be detected 50% of the time by an observer.
Subliminal threshold
messages interpreted by the brain that are below the absolute threshold of humans
signal detection theory
predicts how and when we detect the presence of a weak stimulus amid background noise. Assumes there is no single absolute threshold
Difference Threshold
minimum difference between 2 stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.
AKA: Just Noticeable Difference
Weber's Law
For an average person to notice a difference, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage to be perceived as different.
Sensory Adaptation
The reduction or disappearance of sensory responsiveness that occurs when stimulation is unchanging.
Phototransduction
conversion of light energy into neural impulses that the brain can understand
Wavelength
distance from peak of one wave to peak of the next
Hue ( color)
dimension determined by the wavelength of the light
Blues/purples = ________ wavelengths
short
reds= _________ wavelengths
long
intensity ( brightness)
amount of energy in a wave determined by the amplitude.
The pupil and Iris
constrict or dilate to control light flow
Lens
transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to focus images on retina
Accommodation
process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retnia
Nearsightedness
A condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects
Farsightedness
A condition in which faraway objects are seen more clearly than near objects
The retina
Light sensitive inner surface of the eye containing receptor rods and cones and layers of other neurons that process visual information
Cones
Allow us to see color and fine detail; cluster around the Fovea ( retinal center)
Rods
Allow for night and peripheral vision ( not present in the fovea)
Bipolar cells
recieve messages from the photoreceptors and transmit them to Ganglion cells
Ganglion Cells
sends info to the visual cortex through the thalamus
optic nerve
carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Blind Spot
There are no receptor cells located where the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a blind spot
Color constancy
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
the trichromatic theory ( Young and Helmholtz)
retinal receptors are sensitive to 3 colors
Color Vision: Subtraction
If 3 primary colors are mixed, subtraction of all wavelengths occurs and the result is the color black
Color VIsion: Addition
If 3 primary colors are mixed, the wavelengths are added and the result is the color white
opponent-process theory
Receptors and neurons fire in response to certain color waves and are inhibited from firing/responding to others
Feature Detection
Nerve cells in the visual cortex respond to specific features , such as edges, angles, and movement
Paralell Proccessing
Processing of several aspects of a stimulus simultaneously The brain divides a visual scene into subdivisions such as color, depth, form, movement,
Gestalt psychology
When given a cluster of sensation, humans tend to organize view them as a whole rather than their individual parts
Proximity
things that are near each other tend to be grouped together
Closure
when theres a break in an object, the brain perceives the object as continuing in time and space
Similarity
Things that are alike (by size, shape, color, etc.) tend to be perceived as belonging to each other
Continuity
Lines and patterns tend to be percieved as continuing in time and space perceived
Figure and ground
Figure- items that stand out from the rest of the environment
Ground- the background
Depth Perception
the ability to see objects in 3-D although the images that strike the retina are 2-D; allows us to judge distance
Visual Cliff
a laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
Monocular Cues
depth cues availiable to each eye separately
Retinal Disparity
a binocular cue used to perceive depth between two nearby objects; the difference between two images (the greater the disparity, the closer the object)
Linear Perspective
parallel lines appear to meet in the distance
Relative clarity
we perceive hazy objects to be farther away and sharper/clearer objects as closer
PHI Phenomenon
An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
shape constancy
we perceive the form of familiar objects as constant, even at different angles
size constancy
we perceive objects of having a constant size, even while our distance from them varies
prosopagnosia
the inability to recognize the faces of familiar people, caused by damage to a region of the temporal lobe responsible for recognizing faces
change blindness
when a stimulus undergoes a change without the observer noticing
interposition
if one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer
selective attention ( cocktail party Effect)
the human brain can only devote 100% focus to one task at
Middle ear
chamber between eardrum and cochlea containing 3 bones that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochleas oval window
Middle ear 3 bones
hammer, anvil, and stirrup
inner ear
innermost part of the ear , containing the cochlea , semicircular canals and vestibular sacs
anvil
a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the hammer to the stirrup
cochlea
a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled inner ear structure; it is lined with cilia (tiny hairs) that move when vibrated and cause a nerve impulse to form.
eardrum
a thin membrane that vibrates when sound waves reach it.
Eustachian tube
a tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose; it equalizes the pressure between the middle ear and the air outside.
hammer
a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the eardrum to the anvil.
outer ear canal
the tube through which sound travels to the eardrum.
pinna
the visible part of the outer ear. It collects sound and directs it into the outer ear canal
stirrup
a tiny, U-shaped bone that passes vibrations from the stirrup to the cochlea.
semicircular canals
three loops of fluid-filled tubes that are attached to the cochlea in the inner ear. They help us maintain our sense of balance
frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
pitch
a tones experienced highness or lowness
frequency theory
the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone enabling us to sense its pitch
Sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the cochleas hair receptor cells or to the auditory nerves
Cochlear implant
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Conduction hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
Place theory
the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated
Gate control theory
pain is felt when a nerve gate in the spine allow pain signals to reach the brain . if the gate is closed, no pain will be felt
drugs, adrenaline , distraction
sensory interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another
Papillae
the tiny bumps covering the surface of the tongue
Taste buds
up to 200 in each papilla
taste receptor cells
between 50-100 that respond to taste molecules
proprioception
determination of your body position in space
